A SCOTTISH Government analysis has warned that thousands of the country's most vulnerable people will bear the brunt of the UK Government's changes to the welfare system – with some losing up to £3000 a year.

Minister of State for Disabled People Mark Harper said: “The old DLA system was extremely outdated, with the majority of claimants getting the benefit for life without systematic checks on their condition.

“PIP includes a face-to-face assessment and regular reviews to ensure support goes to those who need it most.

“We continue to spend around £50billion a year on disabled people and their services and 510,000 will actually get more under our reforms.”

Mum Michelle Logie fears the welfare changes will mean she and thousands of others will become prisoners in their own homes.

The former building firm director was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 12 years ago. She has been using a wheelchair for six years.

Michelle, 52, receives the higher rate mobility allowance of DLA and is entitled to a mobility car.

When PIP comes in, a stricter test to judge how far claimants can walk mean she may no longer qualify for the car.

Michelle, of Glasgow’s west end, said: “With a condition as fluctuating and unpredictable as MS, some days you can walk much further than others.

“If I lost that higher rate and didn’t have my mobility car, I would be a prisoner in my own home and that would be the same scenario for many, many other people in my situation.

“What this is doing is removing people’s independence from them and not allowing them that freedom.

“A lot of people think this is an attack on disabled people.”

FACTS AND FIGURES

● It is expected 105,000 of the 190,000 Scots receiving DLA will lose at least £1120 per year under PIP

● Including reassessed and new claims, approximately 66,000 fewer Scots will receive DLA/PIP by 2018

● Approximately 47,000 fewer disabled people in Scotland are expected to receive extra help with mobility costs under PIP

● These claimants could lose between £35 per week (£1820 per year) and £57 per week (£2924)

● 56,000 Scots will receive more under PIP, with the remaining 29,000 receiving roughly the same as under DLA

● The introduction of PIP will lead to a total reduction in spending of £740million in Scotland between 2013/14 and 2017/18

● Expenditure will be reduced more substantially in the later years and by £310million per year by 2017/18.